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Fresh off earning two shiny stars from Michelin this year, Joshua Skenes is making some changes at Saison.

First and foremost, after Thanksgiving weekend, the dining room will be reconfigured from its current 42 seats to 18 seats. There will only be one seating per evening at each table, meaning there will be no turns, which is something Skenes has wanted to do for a while. The regular menu is currently up to 12 (or more) courses, $198 per person. They are still in lease negotiations for the potential downtown space.

So why take away more than half the seats?

“We don’t want any variation in experience,” Skenes explains. “The whole idea is that we can provide the counter experience for everyone in the dining room.”

He continues: “It’ll be a longer menu, with more luxury. That experience can only be provided with fewer seats. The experience is that it’s an extension of our home.”

The other big change is that Saison is now offering special menus at the chef’s counter for four people a night, but via a prepaid online ticket system. At the counter, the restaurant will offer a 16+ course tasting menu for $498 per person, including pairings. If you’ll recall, the counter seating system and pricing were part of Skenes’ original plan for the space; however, back then, Saison couldn’t streamline it as well and with a Michelin boost, they’ve brought it back.

How do the numbers work, with fewer seats available?

Skenes’ answer is simple: “This is not about making money for us. We’re just pushing ourselves to keep doing what we do best.”